Spazio Redux

31 July 2006-
Spazio Soma Cafe: 215 Fremont Street in San Francisco
Cost: $6.00 (bacon cheeseburger, fries included)

Image Source: blogger's own

I just recently noticed that there's something strangely anthropomorphic about the proportions of the Spazio burger. Maybe it's the size of the bun in relationship to the patty and fixings. Does anyone else think it kind of looks like Mayor McCheese from the old school McDonald's commercials?

Anyways, I'm not too fond of the consistency of these burgers lately. As you can see, the bun's changed from last friday, but I don't recall that it was always so much bigger than the burger patty. Also, the patty shape and quality is different than before. Somehow, it just doesn't resemble the earlier very positive experiences. Actually the bun, fixings and special sauce were a lot better than the dry, poor tasting patty. I got fries today, but they weren't all that, either.

What's the Hype?

30 July 2006-
Burger Joint: 700 Haight Street in San Francisco
http://burgerjointsf.com/
Cost: $7.95 (niman ranch cheeseburger, fries included)

Image Source: blogger's own

There's been so much hype regarding Burger Joint that when I was leaving the Haight / Ashbury after an afternoon of shopping and passed by, I decided to indulge on my second burger of the day. Granted, this isn't the original Burger Joint on Valencia, but I would still expect the same level of quality at this second location; especially since other burger blogs have rated it as one of the top burgers in the nation.

First of all, their menu doesn't even include a bacon cheeseburger, and there's no grilling preference option. I inquired about the grilling preference, and was informed that all burgers are served medium unless otherwise specified. I ordered a bacon cheeseburger with swiss and fries. I figured these guys know what they're doing, so I left it as the default, "medium".

Verdict: I wasn't too impressed by the medium burger. I probably should have specified something a little more rare, unfortunately it was pretty dry. Also, the bun was only lightly toasted, definitely not toasted enough. As far as I'm concerned, a place that doesn't toast their buns isn't even worth nominating for the best burger awards. Either the authors of these blogs that give Burger Joint such high ratings are simply clueless; or simply, I think the authors of these blogs are simply clueless. Take it from a local burger enthusiast, there are way better burgers in the bay area.

Luka's Sunday Soul Brunch

30 July 2006-
Luka's Taproom and Lounge~: 2221 Broadway at Grand in Oakland
http://www.lukasoakland.com/
Cost: $12.50 (bacon cheeseburger, fries included)
~ Honorable Mention

Image Source: blogger's own

Luka's Sunday Soul Brunch is a great way to enjoy the great culinary cuisine that makes it one of my favorite restaurants in Oakland (still, what do I know, I've only ordered burgers, but I've been observing the other quality dishes every time I go). Add a couple of devoted rare groove, soul djs: Wisdom and Advance, and you've got a great atmosphere in which to either shake your booty or tune into some great hidden treasures. Luka's Sunday Soul Brunch occurs 11 am to 3 pm every Sunday.

While my friends consistently order their breakfast/brunch menu, I've been adamant thus far about ordering bacon cheeseburgers exclusively. I suspect that the chefs have been reading my blog, because I ordered a bacon cheeseburger with gruyere, "rare" - and I was served the rarest burger this time at Luka's.

I was surprised there weren't that many burger juices, in fact none at all - in contrast to previous experiences. It was still tasty, unlike some other really rare burgers I've described in past postings. However, I think I'm going to opt for a "medium-rare" next time, if there is a next time.

Mark my words: I'm going to try to start exploring their delicious menu in the future. Anyone have any recommendations?

Big Al's

29 July 2006-
Al's Big Burger: 437 San Pablo Avenue in Albany
Cost: $5.29 (bacon cheeseburger, fries extra)

Image Source: blogger's own

I've driven past this hamburger stand on San Pablo Avenue for ages, but have never tried their burger. I didn't realize there was such a strong following backing this place up. There are several local newspaper clippings that have reviewed this place in the past. Apparently, I read that Al's uses wood chips to charbroil their burgers. Also, they use rib eye for their burger patties. I ordered a bacon cheeseburger with swiss, however, there's no grilling preference option.

First of all, I thought the service was very friendly. I could just sense a good vibe with everyone working there. Secondly, it smelled delicious inside.

Verdict: Okay, so it's a hamburger dive, similar to Smokehouse and Oscar's which I've reviewed so far. The burger was cooked in between Oscar's and Smokehouse in terms of grilling temperature (Oscar's is more rare than Smokehouse). But it's a 1/3 lb. patty, and it had loads of fixings and pretty tasty bacon. Probably my favorite out of the three mentioned, of course it's rather far from where I'm at to be a convenient dive.

Definitely worth it if you're in the area. It's a hearty, honest charbroiled burger, in my opinion.

One Block Radius

28 July 2006-
Spazio Soma Cafe: 215 Fremont Street in San Francisco
Cost: $6.00 (bacon cheeseburger, fries typically included)

Image Source: blogger's own

I guess I'm pretty lucky to have a handful of burger places within walking distance of work. Spazio Soma Cafe is among the closest lunch spots, within a one block radius. The cafe utilizes fresh and quality ingredients for breakfast and lunch with great variety in their menu.

Spazio boasts the best salad / entree bar that I've ever encountered in San Francisco. In addition to a wide selection of gourmet salads, there's also a variety of buffet style entrees with an emphasis on asian cuisines, such as chicken and beef teriyaki, dumplings and freshly prepared, artistic sushi rolls. They also have very interesting sandwiches, wraps, and burgers made to order. I'm always impressed by the presentation, production-efficiency and price.

I decided to get a mid-afternoon snack after the peak hours. The place looked deserted after the typical lunch-time crowd terrorized the salad / buffet bar; the chairs were a little disordered, and there were a few staff casually eating their lunch. I felt a little bad that I insisted on ordering from their menu, since I still saw a lot of food at the salad / entree bar that probably needed to be disposed of before the weekend.

When I brought the burger package back to my office, I realized there weren't any fries that usually accompany the burger at Spazio's. Secondly, the bread was very unusual, a roll that I've never seen before. Clearly, they had run out of ingredients, or slacked off when preparing my burger (c'mon no fries today?). Understandably, it was also a friday afternoon.

Verdict: My burger tasted pretty cheesy today, it tasted like squeezable cheese. Burgers are usually grilled about medium-well, there's no grilling preference option. I wish that the bun was toasted more, because it was quite chewy and tough. The bun and the fixings definitely over-powered the burger taste.

Coincidentally, I ate a Spazio's bacon cheeseburger last friday, but failed to take the necessary photo documentation at the time. Unfortunately, that previous burger was a heck of a lot better. One of my coworkers (fellow burger enthusiast) considers the Spazio burger to be the best burger within a two block radius of work. I tend to agree that it can be quite good, I'll just have to make sure I go during regular lunch hours next time.

My Big Ass (Burger)

26 July 2006-
Brickhouse Cafe & Bar**: 426 Brannan Street in San Francisco
http://www.brickhousesf.com/
Cost: $9.95 (wagyu beef bacon cheeseburger, fries included)
** Denotes gmeow76's previous top reviewed burger

Image Source: blogger's own (26 July 2006)

Image Source: blogger's own (cross section updated 18 August 2006)

Based on a coworker's (fellow burger enthusiast) friend's recommendation, I joined another coworker (fellow burger enthusiast) for lunch at the Brickhouse Cafe & Bar in SOMA, San Francisco. The distance from work way exceeded my 2 block radius, but it was a "best burger ever" recommendation, and I certainly didn't want to pass up the opportunity.

Brickhouse Cafe & Bar serves up 100% Wagyu Beef ground chuck burgers. I ordered the "Big Ass Burger", which consists of a 10 ounce patty - bacon cheeseburger with swiss grilled "medium-rare" and a side of fries.

The burger photographed very well. I ended up using up all my camera memory taking shots - and even drew some attention from the staff. I assured them that I knew what I was doing, but I think I made them a little uneasy (sorry guys). I was with a couple of fast eaters (plus I lost time taking pictures), so I dove into my burger before working on the fries, regrettably.

Verdict: Burger juices galore - I've never seen such flowing juices before. It required me to finish off the fries using a fork, my plate was so full of juices. Brickhouse Cafe & Bar serves up quality, juicy wagyu, loaded with fixings on a toasted bun. The quality of meat was outstanding, a very enjoyable-refined burger that is highly recommended.

Burger History 101

23 July 2006-
Joe's Cable Car Restaurant: 4320 Mission Street at Silver in San Francisco
http://www.joescablecar.com/
Cost: $14.00 (bacon cheeseburger, fries extra)

Image Source: blogger's own

Ever wonder where burgers originated from? Apparently, the history is still under dispute, but Joe's Cable Car Restaurant has some interesting burger propaganda / history leaflets to read while you wait for your order. There was a lot of information to comprehend, but one theory was that ground chuck was invented as a means to ingest meat for toothless individuals. Joe's claims to do things the old fashioned way in regards to burger preparation. The restaurant publicizes that "Joe grinds his own fresh chuck daily" in a big block-lettered sign on top of the diner. They also proclaim to serve honest 4, 6 or 8 ounce ground chuck patties.

There's been a lot of hype surrounding Joe's, and my expectations were high. Also, be warned, Joe's prices aren't hamburger shack prices (as the decor might lead you to believe). Joe's is probably one of the most expensive burgers I've surveyed to date. I ordered a 6 oz. bacon cheeseburger with swiss, "medium-rare" (which is the default grilling preference at Joe's) and a small order of fries. The prices are a little ironic, considering they serve the burgers on plastic plates and they utilize disposable plastic utensils for their place settings.

The burger and fries came on two separate plastic plates. However, I really want to commend Joe's on this decision. One of the main reasons why I usually consume my fries before the burger is to avoid having them soaked with burger juices during the course of the meal. Therefore, I went ahead and indulged in my burger first.

There are few words that can accurately describe the handling of a Joe's burger. The patty is shaped to the exact size of the bun, and the ground chuck is distributed to an even consistency: high and wide. The handling feels pretty "solid". The burger assembly makes the patty feel neatly tucked into the bun. As mentioned, there are few words to describe this feeling; I'm actually having a lot of difficulty properly conveying this in writing.

Unfortunately, the bun preparation was a different story. I would have presumed that if Joe goes through such a meticulous burger preparation process, that the bun preparation would be addressed with the same attention to detail. My bun was only slightly toasted, and the inside of the bun was still a little untoasted. In contrast to the chuck grilling preference, I actually prefer a thoroughly toasted bun.

The burger experience was pretty unique. I don't think I've ever eaten a burger quite like it. Joe's tenderizing process is really distinguishable compared to other patties. But I kind of wish the actual patty had a little more flavor, it was a little bland. Perhaps this might be attributed to Joe's claim to serve extra lean patties. Also, the burger was served at a pretty honest medium-rare. It could have been a little more rare (to my liking), however, the ground chuck actually produced a significant amount of burger juice.

Verdict: Joe's Cable Car Restaurant is a very unique and special burger experience that I recommend for all burger enthusiasts. There's no special sauce or flashy frills, but the discerning burger enthusiast might appreciate the preparation / love used in preparing each burger.

Quite frankly, it's a really honest tasting burger at a not so honest price. It's also obvious that Joe focuses all of his attention just on the ground chuck, and seems to neglect the other aspects of the burger, such as the fries, bun and place settings.

Beer and Burgers

22 July 2006-
Pacific Coast Brewing Co.: 906 Washington Street in Old Oakland
http://www.pacificcoastbrewing.com/
Cost: $11.00 (bacon cheeseburger, fries included)

Image Source: blogger's own

Pacific Coast Brewing Co's got over 20 beers on draft. Of course, most of them are their own, that's still more beers on draft compared to other places in the area. I always enjoy the laid back atmosphere there; it's nice to watch sports or hang out in the outdoor patio, and they even have free wi-fi in case you want to get your drink on while surfing the web (computers not included). Also, the people that work there, as well as the regulars at the bar really know about beer, they're true beer enthusiasts.

Today I ordered a bacon cheeseburger with swiss - "medium-rare". As you may already be aware, I'd typically order burgers "rare", coincidentally coinciding with the commencement of this blog; but it just takes one bad experience like Fuddruckers and Beale Street to really make me hesitant about ordering a "rare" burger at places I review for the first time. I got a pretty decent burger today, I must say I was pretty impressed. Although the burger itself was cooked a little longer than I prefer, it was still a tasty burger. The buns were toasted just perfectly, and the fries were very chewy and crispy.

Verdict: I had a pretty enjoyable burger experience; the mayo and fixings complemented the taste very favorably. The quality beers on top of my order made my lunch very pleasant. What really stood out about the burger was the double-sided sesame bun, toasted to perfection.

"World's Greatest" Burger?

19 July 2006-
Fuddrucker's (WORLD'S GREATEST HAMBURGER FOR 25 YEARS): 5614 Bay Street in Emeryville
http://www.fuddruckers.com/
Cost: $12.00 (kobe beef bacon cheeseburger, fries extra)

Image Source: blogger's own

Growing up in Southern California, I think I may have considered Fuddrucker's to possibly be the "World's Greatest Hamburger". Of course, my exposure to burgers was basically limited to whatever occupied the strip malls at the time. Also, I consider myself a little more knowledgeable today than I did back then.

Tonight, I ordered the Kobe Beef 1/2 lb. patty bacon cheeseburger with swiss, cooked "rare" (no fries tonight). I think it was probably the quickest turnaround time I ever received a burger. In all honesty, I knew something had to be up with the preparation time, or lack there-of. I don't really know how long it takes to cook a burger, but I suspected that a properly toasted bun takes a lot longer than the time allotted.

And I was correct. The bun was similar to the kind that Jack's Bistro serves (although not nearly as high quality) - and it would have made a much better burger if it was actually toasted properly. Unfortunately, it was a little too doughy for my liking.

The patty was a little too rare for my liking as well, but the inside wasn't a reddish uncooked chuck (although it tasted slightly uncooked). Instead, the inside of the burger was saturated with some sort of dark marinating sauce which added to quite a salty patty.

The fixings were partly my fault (because I selected them from the bar) but also the responsibility of the restaurant. The freshness concerned me most. In particular, the relish looked like it had been sitting out all day, and had lost its moisture. The other fixings had probably been left out for at least several hours, if not the whole day. The mayonnaise seemed a little watery too.

Verdict: In summary, I feel that I've become much more critical of the burger evaluation of Fuddrucker's compared to years past. In summary, I don't recommend it. In retrospect, I think the marinating sauce is injected into the patty to simulate actual burger juices.

Fresh Bread Makes Great Burgers

18 July 2006-
Jack's Bistro~: 1 Broadway at Jack London Square in Oakland
http://www.jacksbistro.com/
Cost: $11.25 (bacon cheeseburger, fries included)
~ Honorable Mention

Image Source: blogger's own

Jack's Bistro is at the heart of Jack London Square. There's a great outdoor patio that's usually packed for brunch on the weekends. There's also a great bar indoors with many beers on tap. It's part of the Waterfront Plaza Hotel, with a nice view of Oakland Inner Harbor and Alameda. Hey, I didn't say it was a spectacular view, but it's nice though.

I ordered a bacon cheeseburger with gruyere, "medium-rare", and a side of fries. The last time I ate at Jack's it was really an outstanding experience, the burger was just dripping with burger juices, and the 1/2 lb. ground chuck was bursting with flavor. Today, my burger was served well-done, and some of my fries were on the cold side.

However, I do want to note that Jack's Bistro has a bakery component that makes some pretty outstanding bread. There's even bread shaped like starfish as decoration at the bar! There's also pastries and bakery stuff for sale. Anyway, the bread is pretty spectacular at Jack's Bistro, and it holds its own in comparison to other burgers.

Verdict: If you're in the area, I would recommend Jack's Bistro for the outdoor patio ambiance and the unique bread. The ingredients are also high quality, the bacon is abundant and crunchy, and there's even a very special sauce which I cannot quite discern. Who knows, you might luck out and get a pretty outstanding burger, but they ought to improve their quality control because burger grilling selection is not very consistent.

Okay, so the view might not even be that nice. The view's "okay"...

This Nation Sucks

16 July 2006-
Nation's Giant Hamburgers: 1800 University Avenue in Berkeley
http://www.nationsrestaurants.com/
Cost: $5.10 (bacon cheeseburger, fries extra)

Image Source: blogger's own

I can't figure out what all the hype is about Nation's Giant Hamburgers. To put this ratings system in perspective, this Nation's serves the worst burger of the bunch. The bacon's way too salty (for my liking), there's loads of mediocre (read: ghetto-crappy) mayo and a weird patty with solidified cheese. There are amateurs working at these franchises, but I'm sure each one varies conditionally. Anyway, they claim a 3/4 lb. patty, but the experience is undershot, way undershot. Maybe, just maybe, the whole burger composition is 3/4 lb., maybe. But the patty certainly didn't seem that substantial. The fries aren't worth mentioning either... doh.

However, the recent architecture renovation of this particular location by Bay Area architect Kava Massih is significant; Berkeley craftsman vernacular meets a more modern diner-chic aesthetic.

Image Source: http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/object/article?f=/chronicle/archive/2006/07/18/DDGRMJSHDJ17.DTL&o=0

Barney's Award Winning Burgers

16 July 2006-
Barney's**: 1591 Solano Avenue in Berkeley
http://www.barneyshamburgers.com/
Cost: $7.25 (bacon cheeseburger, fries extra)
** Denotes gmeow76's previous top reviewed burger

Image Source: blogger's own

Okay, so I've eaten at Barney's a handful of times in the past; but today's burger was pretty sensational. Perfect "medium-rare" - which is the lowest grilling preference adhered to. Quality toastiness, fresh fixings, special sauce, swiss, and loads and loads of bacon.

The 1/3 lb. fresh, ground chuck patty was definitely enough to quell my hunger. No fries today, (the small fries basket is plenty to share between two people) but the sides and the rest of their menu is prime (again, what do I know, I've only sampled their burgers). Quality design, quality ingredients, quality experience best describe Barney's. So far the best burger in the survey... with good burger juices and all; seriously.

Verdict: Don't take my word for it. Just check out their website to read what other people are saying about Barney's "award winning" burgers. It's definitely a great burger, but I'm going to act as the purveyor of burger truism and seek out a better Bay Area Burger (if one even exists).

Oscar, Osky-Boy!

14 July 2006-
Oscar's: 1890 Shattuck Avenue at Hearst Street in Berkeley
Cost: $4.65 (bacon cheeseburger, fries extra)

Image Source: blogger's own

Oscar's was recently brought to my attention, although I've been totally aware of its presence for several years now. The flame grill exhaust at Oscar's must have been "grand-fathered" into Berkeley's city codes since the 'fifties. On sunny weekend afternoons in particular, that area of Shattuck Avenue is completely obfuscated with burger smoke. I'm not complaining though.

I'm glad I tried Oscar's, because now I will definitely be debating whether my next thin patty stop in Berkeley will be at Smokehouse or Oscar's. As mentioned, Oscar's serves up a 1/4 lb. patty on a toasted bun and loads of (crunchy and fresh) fixings. What I really enjoyed about this particular burger was it was served pretty rare, even though there was no grilling preference option. In this case, the burger was much better than the fries. There's even a drive-thru.

After Work Burger Binge

11 July 2006-
Flipper's: 482 Hayes Street in San Francisco
Cost: $8.75 (bacon cheeseburger, fries included)

Image Source: blogger's own

A coworker (fellow burger enthusiast) and I had planned on hitting up Rosamunde's (infamous) Cheeseburger Tuesdays after work today. In fact, we had been planning on going ever since I found out about the place back in May, National Burger Month (look out for an upcoming review). At the last minute we discovered that it's really only a lunch time thing (apparently, they usually serve out their burgers by early afternoon). So instead, relying off my boss's burger recommendation, we decided to hit up Flipper's in Hayes Valley.

Flipper's burger menu consists of some 20 burger combinations, all for around the 9 dollar price range. Possible toppings range from beets to bacon, teriyaki sauce to tofu. I ordered a Big Flipper (a 1/2 lb. ground chuck patty; normal size is 1/3 lb.) bacon cheeseburger with jack, - "medium-rare" and a side of steak fries. All burger combinations can be substituted with chicken, turkey, garden or a tofu patty as an alternative.

Note: a plain ol' bacon cheeseburger (which is the norm for me) was a customized order that they didn't have listed on their standard menu.

Verdict: My expectations were high for the burger at Flipper's. The fries were incredibly crispy and tasty. In contrast, the burger and bun were soggy and tasteless. The ground chuck didn't seem that seasoned or marinated. The lettuce and tomato were also soft and limp. The bun was only lightly toasted, definitely not enough for a burger patty of this magnitude. In other words, there wasn't enough structural integrity in the patty, bun, or fixings. It was pretty soggy and bland.... unfortunately.

Hamburger Cult Status

8 July 2006-
In-N-Out Burger: 32060 Union Landing Boulevard in Union City
http://www.in-n-out.com/
Cost: $2.75 (double-double "animal style" - toasted bun grilled with mustard, grilled onions, pickles and extra special sauce; fries extra)

Image Source: http://www.in-n-out.com

Believe the hype, In-N-Out Burger is popular for a reason: taste and price are two important factors. It's reached cult-like status all over California, these institutions are always packed to the max. Though a staple of any successful strip-mall in suburbia, its reputation seems to be based on using fresh ingredients, a secret special sauce, efficient-friendly service and perfectly toasted buns. Okay, so I'm probably going to contradict myself in this blog describing In-N-Out, but... they're probably the best toasted buns in the business. The patties, though fresh are the thin kind, and probably aren't the best quality or best taste. But In-N-Out makes up for it in the "filler" - everything else about the burger is top-notch.

I ate my double-double animal style burger with fries in the restaurant. As I walked back to my car something compelled me to order two more double-doubles for the ride home, so I raced through the drive-through on my way out of the mall. It's gotta be that special sauce...

Verdict: As a fast-food alternative, In-N-Out is a great choice. It's tasty and filling. Unfortunately, the "filler" that I mentioned above comprises most of the taste. As far as thin patty burgers go, it's a pretty good; but it's not comparable to the big leaguers.

So I ponder, are all In-N-Out customers real burger enthusiasts like myself? In-N-Out is packed not unlike most other fast-food institutions in busy strip malls in suburbia. I think most of their customers would appreciate a good burger / even better burger if presented the option. However, it's an unfortunate sign of the times when communities are literally monopolized by mega-corporate conglomerates and smaller burger joints are forced to compete in the competitive market-place. In this case, price outweighs taste and quality.

Good Sandwich, Bad Burger

4 July 2006-
Gio's on the Go: 439 Water Street at Jack London Square in Oakland
Cost: $5.50 (cheeseburger, fries not available)

Image Source: blogger's own

I had intended on reviewing Jack's Bistro on July 4th, but unfortunately, they had a special dinner menu that night. I went across the ways to Gio's on the Go (a much less pretentious indoor/outdoor cafe). On warm sunny days, they set up a BBQ, and today's festivities were no exception. (As a matter of fact, even on cold rainy days they set up a BBQ...) I ordered a cheeseburger, and this is what I got.

What you see is what you get. No toasted bun, no power-packed flavor, no burger juices. It was dry, tasteless and uninspiring.

Yearning for "the best sandwich ever", I moseyed indoors and ordered the No. 1; "The Call of the Wild", Gio's version of a pastrami-roast beef sandwich loaded with custom fixings and special sauce.

Cost: $6.95 (note: other half not shown)

Image Source: blogger's own

Just for the record, I'm not planning to start including sandwich reviews on this blog; but this panini at Gio's deserves some attention and recognition. It's simply delightful, and everything a good tasting sandwich ought to strive for: toasted bun, quality meat, special sauce and packed with flavor. The bread is so soft, toasty and chewy, and it doesn't cut up the roof of your mouth like other rolls.

Belgian Yumminess

3 July 2006-
Luka's Taproom and Lounge~: 2221 Broadway at Grand in Oakland
http://www.lukasoakland.com/
Cost: $12.50 (bacon cheeseburger, fries included)
~ Honorable Mention

Image Source: blogger's own (sorry, I really ought to practice my photography...)

As the name of the restaurant suggests, Luka's Taproom has quite a large selection of beers on tap and in bottles. There's roughly 16 on tap and 20 in bottles. Plus they've got quite a selection of Belgian beers. Luka's also has a full bar with a good selection of top shelf liquor and wine. They have great food too (so I've heard). I've eaten there a handful of times in the past, but I've only sampled their burgers.

Luka's is also what I like to describe as the "heart of Oakland", or specifically "my Oakland", within the walkable radius of where I live. Always very friendly, good vibes including the promotion of music, dance and spirit, and alcohol consumption - nightly. The people that go represents a good cross-section of the diversity in Oakland.

Today I ordered a "rare" bacon cheeseburger with gouda and that came to about $12.50, and it comes with Belgian fries and "dipping sauce" which includes aioli, chipotle aioli and a third sauce that resembles ketchup in consistency, texture and color. I found out from the server that the burger can even be ordered "super rare" but based on my recent experience at Beale Street Grill, I decided to hold off. My burger was served about medium, but it did ooze out a pretty significant trail of blood as I lifted it off the plate and took my first bite. Luka's serves up a pretty hefty 1/2 lb. patty on a nicely toasted bun.

"Quality" best describes the burger experience at Luka's. The fries are superb. The dipping sauces also really delight the taste buds.

Caveat: Unless you like eating fries soggy with burger blood, eat your fries before even touching your burger. That is, if you're like me, and prefer rare burgers.

Verdict: Why is it that the first time is always the best? My first burger at Luka's (it was also a bacon cheeseburger) was pretty magical. However, it's always a very enjoyable burger experience at Luka's.